Hi Everyone,

After nearly a year, 1CAST has successfully emerged from beta, bringing with it a completely re-designed user interface, new content and distribution partnerships, a bit of relief from our extremely talented development team, and heightened sense of purpose towards driving the most engaging video news experience across the three screen environment to our viewers.

Since our launch yesterday we’ve seen all of our metrics – from visits to unique viewers to streams per visit increase; but most important of all is the time spent viewing content, which continues to grow.  Already 1CAST has one of the most engaged audiences across the web and mobile spaces.  This trend continues and demonstrates the value of our micro-casting environment as a means for viewers to control what, how, when and where they get their video news.

Rest assured we are by no means finished.  Our team is already working on the next platform update, integrating our next set of content partners and a host of other initiatives that are sure to bring more value to our viewers and business partners alike.

So stay tuned!

On behalf of the 1CAST team, I want to extend a big THANK YOU to our content partners, distribution partners, advertisers, investors and most importantly our viewers.  Each of you has contributed to 1CAST’s ongoing success for which we are very grateful.

Now time to get back to work.

Anthony

Sorry, gotta love Elvis Costello, but today’s blog title is actually apropos.

Here at 1cast, we’re very committed to bringing the best of television news from around the world to your desktop, mobile or any other device. And yesterday we delivered a breakthrough that goes far beyond technology.

Many of you have already started to see clips from Al Jazeera in your search results and micro-casts. We are pleased to be the first company in the U.S. to bring this content to viewers from coast-to-coast. In times like these, we believe our viewers will appreciate the perspective our newest partner – Al Jazeera – brings to issues in the Middle East. More importantly, we all benefit from the access and insight that only the world’s largest Arab news channel can bring to events that have impact far beyond the borders of countries at the center of conflict, challenge and hopefully change for peace.

The addition of Al Jazeera brings to 1cast one of the most impressive line-ups ever assembled of world news leaders. If you’re interested in global affairs there’s probably no better place online or off than 1cast for keeping track of the day’s world headlines in near real time. 1cast viewers can simply enter terms they are most interested in and immediately see the best of the day’s television news coverage from BBC Worldwide, Agence France Presse, Reuters, CBC and now Al Jazeera.

Viewers simply won’t find this kind of world news coverage in a single place anywhere on the web or mobile devices. So let’s all become a little more enlightened about the world we live in. We’re just getting started in bringing our viewers worldwide news sources that expand our horizons as well as our understanding.

Anthony Bontrager